Following extract taken from the pages of the Russian Armed Forces daily "Red Star". Translated and submitted for information and interest by "Old Crow". Date of publication 1st Sep 2009. (Translator's note/aside:- There are more Large Landing Ships than was originally thought.. Wonder which one is RFH77.. if any)
From cruising to exercising
The detachment of Large Landing Ships (BDK): "Azov", "Yamal" and "Novocherkassk" from the Black Sea Fleet, under the command of the Brigade commander - Captain 1st Rank Oleg Ignasyuk - has arrived from Sevastopol' at the Baltijsk naval base. To get here, they have traversed 8 seas, an ocean, four inlets and twelve straits. In all, they have covered a distance of some 4600 nautical miles. En route, on the approaches to Baltijsk, there was a symbolic and agreeable rendezvous when on the beam, there became visible the Large Landing Ships (BDK) "Aleksandr Otrakovskij" and "Georgij Pobedonosets" from the Northern Fleet.
The personnel of the ships of the Baltic, Black Sea and Northern Fleets were welcomed by Vice-Admiral Viktor Chirkov - carrying out the duties of CinC Baltic Fleet. He expressed his belief in the success of the forthcoming exercises (presumably Ladoga-2009) and also urged that all personnel should do their duty in an extensive and painstaking way for the successful completion of the schedule for the Strategic-Operations exercises (ie. Ladoga-2009). They should help each other, enhance a spirit of cooperation and not diminish the tempo of the combat training.
So, there's at least five large landing ships floating around in the Southern Baltic and it seems highly likely that they'll all, either collectively or separately, be involved the the exericise which is planned to run through to the end of September. There'll be other ships and aircraft involved, Leningrad Military District Ground
Force elements, Internal Security Forces, Border Guards - there should be plenty to catch your ears if you happen to point them in the direction of the Kaliningrad enclave and Central Baltic between now and the end of September.
